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)^h^ SA:NrrAEY commi^sioin^ 



The Committee to whom was referred the suhijects of ex- 
aminations of volunteers and other offieers of tlie Army from 
civil life, and of reserves — 

Eespectfully report in part : 

1. Tliey deem it oi' tlie highest im[)urtanee that a system 
of examinations should be established at once, under Sec. 10 
of the act of July 22, ISfil, by which the qualifications of 
officers of all the new lines, or all newly-selected officers, of 
future lines should bo sifted. That the examinations should, 
when practicable, and as far as practicable, be general, so as 
to avoid making the fact of being examined a stigma. That 
they should be made as general as practicable under the 
present circumstances, avoiding, on the one hand, crippling 
the efficiency of the present army by depriving it of officers, 
and, on the other^ a system inadequate, as to the qualifica- 
tions required. That they should go as fiir back, in reference 
to time when the officers were appointed, as circumstances 
may permit. Be conducted as rapidly as possible. Kefer to 
practicable military matters^ as well as to theory. Be made, 
as far as possible, by those who, having the requisite knowl- 
edge of military matters, are yet from circumstances pre- 
vented from active military command. 

The Committee propose the following plan, subject to the 
modifications of the Commission, which they think, will, in 
a general way, meet the requirements of the important 
matter committed to them, and ])rovido for a prompt begin- 
ning of its execution. 

1. To divide the regiments in actual service into two 
classes : First — Those in which from training already effected, 
and the positions and duties of the regiments^ only those 
ofiicers shall be closely examined who are reported as defective 



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by the Brigadier General commanding the brigade toAvhich the 
regiment is attached, or by the Colonel of the regiment, the 
others to receive b, 2^vo forma examination merely. 

That inquiry shall be at once addressed to the Brigadiers, 
and through them to the Colonels of regiments, in reference 
to the qualifications of officers. 

2. Those regiments of tlie later levies, oi" which all the 
officers shall be examined. 

The Committee recommend that when the exigencies of the 
service do not forbid, all officers i'rom civil life should be 
examined, as the mere fact of examination would otherwise 
be a stigma upon the examined. 

3. That a board of five members be constituted for the 
purpose of holding examinations, to be selected from paroled 
Officers, from Professors of the Military Academy, if dispos- 
able, from resigned graduates of the U. S. Military Academy, 
to be commissioned for the purpose, and from other officers 
of the Army not available for active military service in the 
field. This will prevent any interference with active military 
operations, by the constitution of the Board. The system to 
begin with the Army of the Potomac, and, if successful, to 
be extended to other divisions. 

4. The Board to draw up for the approval of the Com- 
manding Generals of " Departments or Detached Armies" 
a statement of the qualifications necessary, and a plan of 
examination and recommendation. The plan of examination 
to include practical exercises with troops, according to grade. 

5. The Board to visit places where masses of troops are 
congregated, to proceed promptly to examine and report 
upon the cases of all officers examined. 

6. The plans of examination and selection of officers to 
conform to the laws in regard to volunteers. 

7. The Board to present for approA^al also a plan for camps 
of instruction, to which officers of promise, not having the 
attainments necessary for immediate acceptance, may resort. 

8. The plans of the Board to suggest the way of dealing 
with cases in which an officer selected for a certain grade. 



and not qualified, is willing to accept a lower one for which 
" he is fully qualified. 

9. The Board to make such suggestions from time to time 

^j for the approval of the Commanding General, as may meet 

<^ cases of doubt or difficulty in practice, or as may be judged 

improvements of the plan of organization and of examination. 

The Committee would further present a plan for a school 

for training rapidly Non-Commissioned Officers, adapted to 

the prospective wants of the Army, volunteers, and regulars, 

devised by one of their West Point associates, Professor 

Mali an. 

1. To allow each company to select or nominate the four 
men under the age of 25 that they may deem tlie most wor- 
thy of promotion to Non-Commissioned Officers. 

2. These four men to be examined by a Board of competent 
officers selected from the Regiment, to ascertain their sol- 
dierly and mental attainments, and their moral character. 
The requisite mental attainments to be to read and spell 
correctly, write a fair business hand, and to have sufficient 
knowledge of arithmetic to make out all the papers^ &c., of 
a company. Each nominee also to declare on honor that he 
has taken no steps, directly or indirectly, to secure his own 
nomination. 

o. The two most competent of the four to be regarded as 
eligible to promotion ; the others returning to the company 
for another trial, if again selected. 

4. All of those selected to be embodied into one corj)s, and 
placed under the charge of competent officers, for such a 
course of instruction as most suitable to make them useful 
Non-Commissioned or Commissioned Company Officers. 

5. That as fast as any of the Corps show themselves qual- 
ified in the prescribed course of instruction, they be examined 
by a competent Board, receive a certificate of qualification, 
and be returned to their companies as candidates for vacancies. 

The Committee recommends the adoption of the following 
resolution bv the Commission : 



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Resolved, That the Rei^ort of the Committee on Examina- 
tions of Officers is adopted as the Report of this Commission, 
and that a copy be presented to Major General Gr. B. Mc- 
Clellan, U. S. A., commanding the Army of the Potomac, 
asking that this plan he put into execution, if approved by 
him, under the law, as early as practicable. 
On behalf of the Committee. 

A. D. Bache, 

Chairman. 



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